Ellen's Story- Before the happily ever after
by CheshireCatsFreedom
Summary: Before the switch, before she met Viola- Ellen's story before her happily ever after.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! So this is basically Ellen's story before the switch. I took slight hints from fummy the creator, but the rest is mine, so if you like it, please don't forget a review! I always look forward for tips to improve the stories. :D Thanks and happy reading. (:**

 **Ellen**

I have been sick my entire life. Ever since I was a child, I have been sick. My legs and face have had an infection so rare the doctor's weren't able to recognize it. Most of the time I felt as though my legs and face were on fire. It wasn't much when I was a child, the doctors thought of it as a mere rash, they told father that it would soon heal. But it never did. In fact it grew worse, the skin on my legs and face became mushy and red and kind of like the skin of an earthworm- red and squiggly and very sensitive. It itched something awful, but scratching only made it worse. On scratching, my skin tore and a mixture of pus and blood came oozing out.

My parents were very rich. My father is a very rich man. He met my mother one day when he'd left for a village for some work. They were trying my mother as a witch. My father immediately put a stop to it and rescued my mother, only to realize that she did have powers, ones that humans did not know of. But my parents must've loved each other back then, they married against all odds. My mother is a beautiful woman. She has long blonde locks, curling naturally, usually put up in a bun that must take her hours. her eyes are golden, much rather like a cat's. My father is also very handsome. He has light purple hair cut short and very, very blue eyes. My father is quite fair but my mother is porcelain pale.

I like to think that I inherited the most ugliest traits of my parents. I have purple hair like my father's but it does not go with my golden, cat like eyes like my mother's. My porcelain pale skin is also not a factor that goes with my purple hair, as compared to my mother's beautiful golden mane. But I have something entirely mine- my hideous skin. When I was a child, my skin was raging red and bubbly, like someone had replaced it with earthworm skin. My upper thighs had the same infection. It wasn't this worse back then. It didn't bleed and neither did pus ooze out from my skin. So as a result, I didn't bandage my face like I do now. And in some cases, it was much, much worse than now. people saw my face and stared. They looked away and frowned. Some gagged. Some were polite enough to look down. As a child it did not bother me, but as I grew up I sensed people's unease. I used to go to school but I soon stopped. It wasn't just because of the people around me. My disease got worse, the opposite of what the doctor's predicted. Soon we shifted into the forest. My mother's idea. She wanted to keep me isolate so that no one found out about me, so that no one would get scared because of me. Soon I stopped going out of the house.

Maybe it was because I was so hideous or maybe it was something else, but my mother didn't love me. She hated me. Even though I was sick, she would pull at my hair, sometimes choke me for a few minutes just to teach me a lesson. My mother had powers, the ones she wouldn't use on anyone but me. But I had powers too. So I would deflect all I could.

My mother hasn't been direct about hating me. She's never told me she hated me, but I know. Because one night, she was so upset, she barged into my room at three in the morning and pulled me by my hair. She used her power to suck all the air around me and I started to choke. I fought her, trying to gain my air back, but I couldn't. She kept on fighting my power with her more powerful power. The lack of oxygen made the little zits on my skin pop and pus oozed out. My skin cracked due to the discomfort and started bleeding. I started tearing from the eyes, not sadness but because of my inability to breathe, my eyes started tearing. It must've been minutes, it was a wonder I wasn't dead. My mother kept on shouting _just die already,_ and I wanted to too. I wanted the pain to end. And not just the one right now, the disease too. Just as I thought that life was finally gripping out of my reach, my father barged in. My mother didn't fight him, just as he came into the room; she stopped and fell on the floor. I gasped for breath, coughing and wheezing. "What's wrong with you, Nica?!"My father shouted and struck her. But my mother just won't sit up. She kept on sobbing and crying "Please god, killed her already."

This made my disease worse. My face had cracked and bled and my legs were bleeding so much that my skirt became red. From that day on, I started wearing bandages.

My father on the other hand, loved me. He told me many times. He was the one who gave me my medicines and changed my bandages. I never understood why. He was rich enough to afford a servant to change my bandages, but he never did. He always did it himself. I asked him many times, why he wanted to see my ugly face behind the bandages. He told me it was because he loved me, because he loved my face- every inch of it. But it still frustrated me every time. I wouldn't want to keep seeing my own face if I could help it. Why should he then? And even if so, changing my bandages was a dirty work. It always had blood on it, so it would mess the hands of him who changed it. Why get blood and pus on yourself willingly, if you can help it? He never let anyone else feed me medicine or change my bandages. I couldn't put my finger on it, so decided to use it a term to describe love.

I always knew he loved me the best.


	2. Chapter 2

I wasn't allowed to go out of the house, but I was allowed to roam around. The pain in my legs kept on getting worse, but not worse enough that I couldn't get up. Because I had to. Had to get up and go out, see the world outside, even though I was confined to my little jail. So every day I would get up from my bed and slowly clutching the walls and the curtains make my way to the nearest window right outside my room. And there I would sit on the chair and glance outside staring at the flowers and listening to the birds. How free they all were, singing and tweeting and twirling in the sun. Today however as I painfully made my way to the window, I heard a snarl outside my house. As I strained my neck to see what was happening I heard a loud meow. I saw a beast chasing a cat. The beast had the cat cornered against a tree and I noticed how beautiful the cat was. It had golden eyes like me, but it matched its soft, black fur. It was petite and graceful even when death cornered the cat. I looked at the beast, its teeth dangerously snarling and it licking its face while glaring at the cat and I knew its death was inevitable. I got up from the chair and hurried and fast as I could, tripping at places, my legs burning and wobbling. I couldn't bear to see the cat die. With all the strength I could muster I hurried as fast as I could and went to my backyard. I reached just in time to see the beast tearing at the cat's neck. He shook the cat by its scruff and I screamed as loud as I could. I was angry, very angry at how selfish everything was. I wasn't sad for the cat's death- I was sad because it had died while I was coming to rescue it. I tried as hard as I could, ran even when I was sick to save the cat that died before appreciating my act. How selfish it was, it died before I could save it. And the beast, he killed the cat not waiting for a moment for me to come down and rescue it. It seemed as though no one wanted me, not the cat, not the beast, not the world, no one. They were all one big bundle of selfish. So when the beast faced me angrily telling and showing its teeth, without a second thought I used my power and made it explode like a meatball.

Guts here, veins there, brains everywhere. I had blood and bits of hot flesh on my face and clothes. My hands were covered in blood. I didn't know I managed to do it- I only thought of killing the beast for a split second. The force with which it burst open was like a small hand grenade's. I guess I had a lot of power.

I neared the cat's corpse. Its head was dangling from a thin artery and one of its eye had been popped out. Its stomach was tore open and guts and something purple squished out. I didn't gag at the sight though. I just stared at its one good eye, how beautiful it was. I undid my overcoat and wrapped the cat gently inside the coat and carried it near a rose bush. I dug a hole, the skin on my hands tearing and bleeding. I placed the cat in the ditch and then dug out a rose from the bush nearby from its roots and planted it over the cat's grave.

I make it back to my room without my mother noticing, for I was sure she'd skin me alive. I slowly closed the door behind me and slumped on the bed, my legs not able to bear my weight anymore. The dirt worsened my diseased skin, and my legs were bleeding terribly. Not able to bear anymore, my body gave up and I started to drowse.

"Ellen!" my father's concerned cry woke me up. I half opened my eyes, just to see my father shaking me, his face full of concern. I got up and sat upright.

"Ellen, what happened?!"

I just then realized that I was covered with blood and bits of flesh. My whole dress was red, and I had blood and mud on my legs.

"I-I buried a cat.." I finished lamely.

"Buried a cat?" My father frowned and looked at me. From the corner of my eye, I saw my mother leave, guess she had been standing at my door.

"I'm sorry father, I won't do it again, I promised."

My father just stared at me. His face was hard to read. He then called upon my aya to clean me up. After she was done, my father came in and replaced my bandages and then fed me medicine. He remained quiet throughout and when he was done he sternly told me not to go out. It worsened my disease he said. "The house is big enough for you, Ellen. I also had the roof decorated as a garden for your leisure. Please don't scare your mother and me by doing this." I nodded and after he left, I closed my door, undressed myself and took out my bandages and stood naked in front of the mirror. I sighed, inspecting my body. I was small for an eleven year old. My face was diseased and the skin was bleeding so much that the blood dripped on my chest. The skin extended to my upper chest and then it was porcelain plain, like my mother's. My thighs were also bleeding and it seemed as though the disease had spread to my forelegs as well. Watching my reflection broke my heart. I realized no one loved me except father. I was all alone in this world full of human beings. Was it my fault I was born the way I was? I asked myself who I was. I was Ellen. I was a normal, eleven year old. No wait, I wasn't normal. I was a witch. Tears built up in the corner of my eyes. I shook my head and dressed up and put my bandages back as efficiently as I could. As I was getting ready to sleep, I noticed a cute little bottle on my bedside table. It had little pink roses on it and it was baby pink in color. I opened and smelled it and recognized it as the medicine father gave me every day. It had a sickly sweet scent and was red in color. I remembered my diseased skin. Maybe father was wrong. He didn't give me enough medicine, my disease was spreading. More disease meant more medicine. I took the bottle and took a very little sip. I coughed and spluttered and for a moment my throat burned like wildfire. I couldn't breathe, and I started spluttering blood. My body felt weak, I felt as though I was dying. Which was good, in a way. But then I remembered father and his kind face. No, you don't do that to people who love you. Instead I screamed as loudly as I could and then dissolved into a muddle of coughs. My servant whose room was next to mine, came in and hurriedly called father. He rushed in and gave me water and more medicines.

From that day on, my disease worsened and I couldn't get out of my bed without my legs bleeding. Father never kept any medicine in my room again. But wasn't the medicine supposed to make me feel better? I had been told that too much overdosing can make it worse, but- I hadn't had taken a lot of it. Just a very little sip. It seemed as though the medicine worsened my disease.

I wonder why.


	3. Chapter 3

As my disease worsened, it became impossible for me to get out of the bed. So most of the time, I stayed in bed, staring out of the nearby window, only to see a tree block my view. My routine became simple- my father changed my bandages and gave me medicine and left and I waited quietly in bed for him to return. When he did, he changed my bandages again and gave me medicine and left. At night sometimes, he read me a storybook. He always gave me one spoonful of the medicine. I always complained that the medicine burned my throat, but he wouldn't listen. He told me that it was necessary that I drank the medicine. It would help me get better he says. But somehow I don't believe it.

My sickness just keeps getting worse. My head hurts awfully all the time. My legs are always bleeding and it pains even if I move them. My face is more hideous than ever. Earlier my mother used to stand at my door, but now she never visits me. No wonder she hates me. I hate myself more, to be honest.

Today as I was laying quietly while my father applied medicine on my bandages and put them on. I didn't move, I was quiet used to it. He'd leave for work soon, I thought. As he was done, he kissed the top of my head and got up. He picked up a doll from the floor and gave it to me.

This is a pretty doll, Ellen- he said. I turned and took the doll in my arms. She looked quite like my mother, except for her blue eyes. Her smile though, was quite eerie. I touched its face, quietly thinking what it must feel like to have a clear face. My father touched my head and quietly told me that I was beautiful in my own way and that he loved to see it. I wished I could see it.

The next day I was woken by my father who joyously barged into my room. Ellen, a happy birthday to you dear! He exclaimed and placed a big cake in front of me. He cut a piece for me, and gave me a knife and fork. Its chocolate, your very favorite, he told me. I hadn't had much of an appetite since I was small. I smiled. While he was changing my bandages, a servant hurriedly came in to remind him that he was late for his work. He hurriedly changed my bandages, fed me my medicine and gave me a box. Its your gift Ellen, he said. He then hurriedly left, leaving the knife and fork on my bed. I don't know why but I hid the knife behind a pillow. After a while a servant came into my room and cleaned up the kitchenware and left. She never even noticed the missing knife.

After she left, I took the knife out if my its hiding. It was beautiful, shining and clean. I motioned it on my palm, and it swiftly opened a gash of wound. I enthralled at its ability to so effortlessly deliver pain to somebody. I must have been staring at my hand bleed for quite long because I heard a knock on the door that woke me from my daze. I quickly put the knife under my bed and murdered a come in. My father popped his head in and greeted me. Did you open your present Ellen, he asked me and I shook my head. Well do then. I opened the box and found a new doll. I smiled my thanks. Your mother has a present for you too dear, my father smiled. I jerked my head up in astonishment and saw my mother come in and smile. I kept on staring at her in astonishment. "Happy birthday my dear Ellen, I love you." and she bent down and kissed my head. I saw tears in her eyes. She handed me a bottle of perfume. Too astonished to do anything else, I sprayed the stuff on my collar. It smelled sickly sweet and i hated it. My mother took the bottle and heavily sprayed it all around me and in the room too. It's lovely, isn't it Ellen? my father smiled happily. They left the room, my mom closing the door hurriedly. The scent was so sweet and sickly that I began to drowse..

Just before the blackness covered me, I saw the shadow of a cat.


	4. Chapter 4

" _Ellen." I heard a boyish sound somewhere. I slowly opened my eyes, and I was covered in darkness all around me. I looked around to see the source of the sound but I couldn't find anymore._

 _I must be dreaming._

" _You ain't dreamin', Ellen."_

 _I hurriedly looked around and suddenly I saw a faint shadow nearby. It neared me and I got a full look at it. It was the black it._

" _You.."_

" _Yo! You sure remember me, don't ya?" I couldn't believe it. The cat was speaking.._

" _You're talking.."_

" _You're right! 'M talkin' to you"_

 _I am dreaming._

" _You ain't dreamin', Ellen. It's a part of your powers. When ya buried me, you chose me as ya demon!" the black cat chuckles as though it was the funniest joke ever._

" _I don't—"_

 _Something hits me and I can't breathe anymore. I splutter and cough and sink into the dark._

" _Ellen, you need to wake up right now! You're chokin'"_

 _What…_

My eyes fly open as I sense something gripping my throat. I touch my throat and something pricks me. _Thorns._

I look ahead of me and I see my mother standing, emitting light from her. I glance beside me to see the bouquet father gifted me, had rose vines coming out of it to strangle me.

"Mo..t…he…r"

I spluttered and coughed and my mother cried.

"Ellen, I can't see you suffer anymore! I can't. I will kill you now. I can't bear it..I'm sorry but.." she dissolves into a series of sobs as the vines around my neck tighten.

Do I want to die? Do I want to leave this cruel world, full of cruel and selfish beings? Do I want out of my sickening body, that pains every time I move? I do. I do want out of it.

But

My father told me he loves me. And I read that after you die, it pains the ones you love. I can't do anything about my suffering; at least I can lessen my father's, who loves me selflessly—

Black corners start appearing around me and I need to think fast. I remember the cat, its sharp fangs—easily killing everything. I don't have fangs. My mother is powerful. I need fangs…

And then I remember I do have my fangs…

The knife under my pillow.

I remember seeing the beast attack the neck of the cat, its most vulnerable spot. So I aimed for mother's neck and a flying knife motioned across her neck. She slumped down and the vines dropped around me. I gasped and coughed for air. I got up on my knees and saw my mother clutching her throat, blood pouring out slowly. I neared her and suddenly I was filled with anger.

You tried to kill me. You were never nice to me. It wasn't my fault I was born this way. But you blamed me always. My mother told me she wanted to kill me to end my suffering, she couldn't see me suffer. Who is she, to make the decision if I should live or die? Who is the beast, to decide whether the cat is to live or not? Selfishness. She killed me because she was selfish. She hated to see me suffer, so she killed what she hated. How convenient. Well, I hate you.

So I will kill you too…

I started to stab her multiple times in the torso.

 _Blood, a strange color. Dark red, like velvet, but so much more softer._

I heard her whimper.

 _Why won't you just die already? A smile creeps over my face._

Her face went blank and she stopped moving.

 _Selfish. Selfish. Selfish._

I look down at my hands. They're covered with blood. _They're covered with my mother's blood._

Suddenly the realization of what I've done hits me. I frantically try to get up, my legs throbbing and bleeding. I clutch the walls and make my way to the nearby room, where my servant sleeps. I open the door and see an empty bed. I remember she'd left for her home, on a leave.

 _Father. He loves you._

With superhuman effort I made my way into my father's study. I opened the door and found it empty. A candle was flickering on a wooden table. Suddenly I sensed a shadow on the corner of the room. I stared at it for a while and the darkness moves and dissolves into a shelf. I slowly made my way near it and jerked my head as a bottle falls to the ground. I pick it up to keep it back but something at the back of the bottle catch's my eye-

 _Witch's poison-_

 _-2tbsp rose water_

 _-3 grinded cherries_

 _-2 spoonfuls sugar_

 _-1 spoon Esmeralda poison_

 _-1/2 tbsp honey—_

Poison. Esmeralda Poison.

I'd read about it before. Esmeralda poison was a deadly poison that made its way into the victim's body slowly. It was used for slow killing.

 _Witch's Poison._

I look at the bottle. It had little pink roses and it was baby pink in color. I tipped the bottle over and red liquid with a sickly sweet smell poured out of the bottle.

It was my medicine.

I don't understand..

My father, my father who loved me, the only person in the world who loved me…

Was trying to kill me?

But…

I remembered that the doctors told me that I would soon get better. They were all surprised that my rash had turned into this deadly, life threatening disease. How, when I drank that medicine extra, worsened my disease. Father must dilute it and give it to me.

My eyes burned hot with anger and tears flowed down. I clutched the bottle so hard that it broke and my hand started to bleed from the impact.

I didn't care, oh I didn't care.

I started to sob and covered my face. My legs not able to take the pressure anymore, gave in to my body and I slid to the ground, wailing.

My father was the most selfish being of them all.

He hated me. He hated me, when he told me he loved me. He wanted me to die, just like every other person in this dreaded world. He lied about loving my face.

No wonder he never let anyone else feed me my medicines.

Ellen? I turned around to see my father standing there, his face full of horror. I looked at him and smiled, all the anger hitting me with so much force, my chest ached.

 _All I want to do is hurt you._

I killed her, father. I killed mother. He didn't understand at first, but then he saw the knife in my hands and his eyes turned wide.

You made me into the monster I am now, isn't that true?

You're sick Ellen, he told me. Am I?

I killed her, I repeated. And now… I will kill you.

Father tried to run but as he turned the knife flew from my hand and struck him in the back. He fell to the ground and I walked up to him. I removed the knife, my eyes full of tears.

You told me you loved me. _Stab._ You told me you would never, ever hurt me. _Stab._ You told me I would get better. I could've gotten better. But you didn't let me. You ruined my face, my body and my life. _Stab._ You are a selfish, selfish bastard, Father. _Stab._ I hate you. _Stab._ So now I am going to kill you.

He had stopped moving long before. Blood flowed out of his body and into my white nightgown.

 _Ellen, Ellen_

 _All alone_

 _In this world so big,_

 _Where will she go?_

 _Where will she go?_

I sobbed into my father's body. He smelt like roses. I got up gingerly and saw the nearby candle flicker. I willed it to fall to the ground, and the wooden table started burning.

 _I will leave when I get hot._

The curtains caught fire.

 _It's not hot enough… yet._

The wooden floor started burning and the ceiling broke down, my hair catching a few ashes and burning.

 _Get up._

I got up slowly. The room was burning with such intensity that the door knob was hot like melted iron. It was so hot that my skin stuck to the handle and started burning. I flicked my hand and tore the skin and pushed the ashed door down from its burnt hinges. The fire enveloped the wooden house that my selfish father had paid so much for. _All the painted walls, all the furniture, all the vases, all black now_. I chuckled and started running, my legs bleeding and skin burning. I tripped on the long staircase and broke my leg. The bone broke from the center and tore out from the skin, visible with blood. I crawled out of the house, relishing the pain. It wouldn't last, it will soon end, I thought to myself repeatedly. I crawled to the forest outside my house, where I'd buried cat. _I have to get there._ I looked behind me and saw a trail of blood I'd been leaving. Good. Maybe this way, someone will remember me, Ellen the witch. I reached the tree where I saw the cat engage its death. I crawled my way to the bush, blackness creeping into the corner of my eyes. I saw my house burn and I heard someone scream loudly. I wonder who…

I reached the grave and slumped my body beside it. Everything in the forest seemed to burn except the roses. I clutched the stem of the rose, thorns prickling my hand and a smile creeping up my face, the blackness enveloping me warmly like a blanket.

I kept screaming _I didn't wanna die_ but no sound came out. My face had a smile plastered. My eyes began to close just as I found a star in the dark, dark sky…


	5. Chapter 5

_Death's sweet embrace,_

 _Was once a gift I yearned for._

"Ellen, you dead or what?"

I slowly opened my eyes, and quickly squint them, for the sun was shining directly over. I realize I'm in a garden. My head hurts but I don't seem to remember anything.

"Ell-en." I look beside me and see a cat talking. To me.

"Are you talking to me..?" I mumble unable to hide my astonishment.

"You don' remember do ya? You were in a fire."

 _Fire._

Everything comes rushing back to me. My house, my disease, my parents dying—I killing them, my house burning along with the forest. And me.

Then how do these birds sing so happily?

My house..

"Ah so you do remember. I thought I'd have to tell ya everythin'" The cat chuckled in his boyish voice.

"I was burnt. How come I…" I looked at my hands. They were clean and pale. I lifted my skirt and looked at my legs. They were clear and pale too. I specifically remembered my legs broken and diseased..

"What happened?" I croaked.

The cat told me this—

The house was burnt to the ground and all around it—the trees and the forest. As my mother's dead body burnt, her magic was absorbed by the house. I had killed her, so the trail of my blood marked it as my territory. I had fell unconscious near the cat's grave, my blood trailing throughout till the cat's grave. When I died, my body burnt and purified. It became my land. The witch's land. Everything was regained by my mother and my power combined. I had a magical house with the forest and land. And it was all mine.

The cat told me a witch's magic flourishes with souls. That night, the cook and my father had died along with my mother. The cook had been trapped due to the fire—his scream was what I'd heard. Their souls had been used by the house to make me more powerful. The house was now a part of me and me a part of it.

And that had cleared my skin as well.

My purification helped me to absorb all the power around me, everything that had died that night with me. My body now purified and soul-fed was healthy and active. It was like I was reborn.

"So Ellen, what do ya think?" the cat looked at me expectantly. But I only wanted to do one thing.

I ran towards my house with my new legs and looked around. Everything was just as before. No sign of a fire whatsoever. I hurriedly glanced around looking for a mirror. I stood in front of the mirror but the girl I saw wasn't me. Unlike me, her skin was clear, smooth and pale. Her eyes were shining and her hair was smooth and beautiful. Her lips were pink and shiny and her smile was worth lighting the world. I stared at my reflection, my mouth wide open in astonishment.

"You're pretty, Ellen." I looked around and saw the cat sitting on the windowsill, its tail swiping back and forth. "You're pretty now, that the red rash is removed, and my you run fast too. Isn't your new body nice and healthy?"

Something about this snapped me into attention.

"Is.. Is it going to wear off..?" I didn't want to ask this question, for the answer scared me.

The cat looked into my eyes for what seemed like forever, turned it head and simply answered No.

I sighed, not realizing I had stopped breathing for a moment and went right back to admiring my face.

 _Vanity._ A woman's voice. It was unfamiliar but it did not startle me.

"Not as long as—" I sighed too soon..

"Not as long as what?"

 _Feed me._

"Not as long you keep feeding the house of course." The cat glared at me innocently.

When I heard this, I wanted to cry, scream, and shout. Instead I stared at reflection taking in what I saw. I couldn't give this up, I wouldn't give this up.

I needed this forever.

"How do I feed it?" I ask without ever taking my eyes from the mirror.

"Well it's easy.. You kill people in the house."

The thought didn't startle me. Killing was a beautiful thing. It gave you a superior power over others. It was selfish yes.. but the world hadn't ever been selfless to me. It was my time to be selfish.

"It would be easier if I snuck into the village and killed the villagers. No one comes to a deserted forest. Except hunters—but they have guns."

I looked at the cat, waiting for answers.

"Ellen, you can't go out of the forest. Actually, you can't go out of the rose gate in the middle of the forest. That's where your territory ends."

I look at the cat, and stare at its fur. I think about what it just said..

"What happens if I go out of the boundary?"

"Your power wears off and you return to normal of course." It replies as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Then how should I.."

I sat down in exasperation. It was impossible. Soon the power would wear off and I'd go right back to being diseased before I would eventually die.

 _You won't die._

"Ellen, you can't die. Not unless someone actually forces in on to you to kill you. Your disease will pain you, take your organs but you will continue to live in agony forever. A witch doesn't die naturally."

A witch doesn't die naturally.

So that means if I don't feed the house, I will continue living in this blinding pain, without ever experiencing the joyous rush of death. Because after death, it's over. Oh no, not for me. Never for me.

The cat jumped down from the window and hopped on the table in front of the sofa I'd been sitting on and stared me in the eye.

"Ellen, the outside world might not be yours, but the house and the forest are. Everything that was burnt that night—the animals, birds, trees, flowers—they're all under your command. They can turn deadly and kill anyone if you will them to. Besides, you have a lot of time to get used to your power. It won't wear off this soon."

 _Come Ellen, let's play._

But it will wear off some time, yes?


	6. Chapter 6

_But now that I found you_

 _I don't need death, not anymore._

I learnt a lot in the house. It was as though the house spoke to me, I could hear something inside of me even though the cat didn't seem to hear it. It guided me through everything, taught me what I needed to know, and corrected me if I ever went wrong. I didn't know who's voice that was, and the paranoia settled in me. Nonetheless, the cat never left my side, though I soon grew bored of its company.

"What is your name?" I asked it once when we sat on the top floor sunbathing and drinking tea.

The cat flicked its tail and stared up in the sun, its eyes glistening. "Whatever you wanna call me. M' your demon remember?" It gnawed at its whiskers and I sighed back, sipping the hot beverage.

"Can I ask you something cat?" I asked while stirring the tea with a spoon. It was silver—my father always insisted we use silver kitchenware. I wonder why?

"Have I ever stopped ya from askin' me anythin'?" the cat replied and swiftly jumped to sit near me.

"I" I placed the cup on my lap and cleared my throat. "I hear someone talk to me at times. A woman.." I looked at the cat hesitatingly.

 _It's me, Ellen._

"Oh, the house ya mean." The cat replied simply as though it was so obvious.

"Do you hear it too?" I touched my forehead, wondering if I was going crazy.

"Only if I want to." The cat yawned and sat on its hind legs. "It's your mother's magic Ellen."

"But.. It doesn't sound like my mother." I demanded, exasperated.

"Well Ne'r said twas' your mother. It's your mother's magic ya see? It's cuz of her the house is alive."

I looked around the ever changing house. The whole place buzzed with life, even though it had died due to the fire I had started.

 _A witch never dies._

I got up and stared at the window outside. An oak tree lay ahead, beautiful and huge. Suddenly I noticed a bird sit up on the branch. A canary. So beautiful, so golden. I felt a pang of jealousy move up my body. I squinted at the canary and suddenly the tree's branch opened up to show its white, sharp teeth. It tore the canary apart, and dropped it on the floor. Nonetheless, the canary was dead. It's face showed pure and utter shock as it realized its fate. A satisfied smile plastered on my face and just for a moment I felt a shock of life hum in the house. That I realized, was for taking the canary's life. I stared at its ugly body, wondering if I should bury it. It was after all, beautiful like the cat. I didn't need to think twice, the ground opened up and the canary was dissolved as the ground closed. There was no trace of what just happened except that a rose had instantly grown on the grave. Beautiful.

After a few moments I realized that the cat was asleep. I moved to the right, inspecting the red grass growing nearby. Then for a moment, I caught the scent of cloves in the air and the nostalgia hit me like a wind whirl, and for the first time in weeks I yearned for my father. Suddenly I looked up and saw a door in front me, I swear there I was nothing a moment before. I pushed the door and it opened with a creek. Inside was pitch black, except for a lamp kept on the table with a skull. I picked up the lamp and neared the room, and saw cells lined up in front of me. The smell of cloves was hard from that one room.

I neared it and saw a ghost line figure of my father.

For a few moments I stared at it, it was surely a hallucination from my sickness. Maybe it was returning. But staring around I caught the notice nearby. "The death room." I couldn't understand what it meant and who were trapped in these cells. _The things you killed._ I stared at my father, his body was translucent, his features so pail. I saw a pink smoking pipe, I remembered from his study. He didn't seem to notice me though. He kept on smoking his pipe and whispering "Nica", my mother's name. I opened the cell and neared him. He recognized me and ran to the end of the cell. He cowered at the corner, and whimpered. I wanted to cry, seeing him that way. What had I done to him, for him to fear me so? I had only killed him, hadn't I? Did he not deserve it? Did he not deserve after what he'd done to me all these years? His pain was only for a second, I'd given him a quick death. It was nothing compared to the pain I had suffered all these years- a pain he gave me.

 _Selfish. Selfish. Selfish._

My sadness quickly turned to anger. I wanted to kill him, but I reminded myself that he was already dead. I picked up the smoke pipe nearby and took it out with me.

"I won't let you enjoy anything, Father." I spoke exclaimed and laughed hysterically. It was all so funny, my father cowering in pain and thinking it was much. Clearly he'd just die if he experienced my pain. Oh wait, he was already dead. I laughed for five minutes, until my sides hurt. I wiped the tears from my eyes and closed the prison gate. My father ran and enclosed his hands around the bar, whispering so silently, if I didn't strain my ears, I'd miss it all. "Please.. Medicine… Don't" His eyes turned wide and his expression desperate. He clutched the bars and shook it to try to get out. But I just laughed and turned to the next prison. I saw the faint outline of my mother, sitting at the corner of the cell, limped down on the ground, devoid of any emotion. All of her clothes were bright white, as compared to her grey-white figure, but her shoes were dark red. I remembered they'd gotten that way the night I killed her. Her blood dripped down so much, it turned her beautiful white shoes all red. My eyes struck up and I opened the gate and neared her. She didn't look up, neither did her face change at all when I took off her shoes and carried them with me. "Die in hell. Oh wait, you already did." I chuckled and returned to see my father still groping at the bars, trying to reach the pipe I'd kept on the table. He glanced at the shoes I was carrying and I saw recognition dawn upon him. "Nica" He breathed the word and stared at the shoes, blood dripping from them. "Here's a gift to you, Father. A gift from your dear Ellen." I threw the shoes in this cell and he neared them, his hands turning blood red due to touching the dripping blood. He picked up a shoe and with wide eyes stared at it. "Nica" I slammed the door shut and screamed. "Yes! It's your dear Nica's shoes dripping with your dear Nica's blood. Do you like my gift father?" I laughed hysterically and skipped my way over to the third cell. There I saw, lay the cook, who had burnt that night due to my fire. His skin was grey and slick with wrinkles- burn marks. He lay emotionless, tears streaming down his cheeks yet his face devoid of any emotion. Suddenly I saw the faint outline of the canary on the floor, trying to fly, but failing. It had the gruesome scars, but they'd lessened. I found a cage nearby and picked it up and put the canary in. I carried the cage near father's cell, avoiding a glance towards my mother. I placed the cage on and suddenly jumped as I heard a meow.

"Taken your revenge have ya?" the cat swirled its tail in the air as it sat on a windowsill, the window darkened as though it were night outside.

I looked around and at my father's face. He seemed sad and pained, but not quite much. I remembered what I thought, his pain was a second long, and mine was years' worth. And I decided his pain wasn't enough. I wanted to experience it. Forever.

I turned to the cat and locked my eyes in his.

"No. I want them to relieve their death. At all times."

The cat stayed silent and stared into my eyes. His golden eyes never left mine, even for a second. I stared back, defiant. "Done." He replied after what seemed like hours, and then looked the other away. I turned my head to my side, for the moment his words left his mouth, the room eloped in screams and cries by my parents. The canary fluttered, unable to voice its pain but clearly in a lot. My father screamed and screamed and I saw tears flow down his eyes. The cook ran around his cage, patting himself, trying to put out a fire only he could feel. I heard gurgling an sobbing noises from my mother's prison too, but I was too far away to see her and realized that I didn't care.

I felt a tinkle of joy.

"Anythin' else?" the cat asked quietly.

 _Dear sweet Ellen._

 _Do you wish to kill more?_

Yes.

I looked around happily, but my eyes caught the canary, fluttering, my father screaming and crying, the cook's screams. Suddenly something unfamiliar swiped through my body. Guilt. At what I'd done to them. I did not like the feeling, I couldn't bear to realize that something so useless, so selfish could give me a feeling of discomfort. They weren't above me, nothing was above me. I was the powerful one, the one with the magic.

 _You don't have to look at them. They're worth nothing._

I nodded slightly and turned to the cat.

"Yes. I want them to be invisible."

Just as the words left my mouth, everything turned invisible. Good. I turned, happy grin plastered on my face, and I hummed my way back out of the room. I blew out the lamp and opened the door, the screams sounding like music to me ears.

As I was turning to close the door, all I could see was the faint outline of the cat, its eyes bright and shining.

"Are you happy now, Ellen?" it wasn't an accusational question, it was a genuine one.

I smiled but I couldn't stop a laugh from escaping as I heard another one of the screams.

"Why yes, yes I am."

 _Yes Ellen, dear sweet Ellen._

 _Let's play._

I laughed as I exited the room. I had been held prisoner inside all my life. It was like my cage, slowly suffocating me, the pain blinding me-never ending.

I wondered how they felt to be in that cage for a change.

 **HELLO! IF YOU LIKED THIS CHAPTER, FOLLOW THE STORY FOR MORE! FAVORITE PERHAPS? ALSO, DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE A REVIEW LETTING ME KNOW WHAT YOU LIKED AND HOW I CAN IMPROVE FURTHER (:**


	7. Chapter 7

_Come set me free…_

 _Don't be afraid_

I learned to manipulate the house and the forest. No one ventured into the forest, my powers formed a barrier. I realized time must've passed. But my hair never grew, neither did my height. Often the cat's words came back to me— "A witch never dies." But he never said anything about aging. So I decided to ask him one day, when he bought me some stuff for my skin. A moisturizer I think.

"Hey cat, why don't I grow old?" I asked, staring at the mirror, feeling my soft skin.

The cat sat perked up on my bed behind the mirror and narrowed his eyes.

"Told ya witches don' die."

"Yes but, why don't I _age?"_ I turned and demanded.

"Ya soul gives ya the power to age. Tis' a magic humans refuse to believe in. Witches don' have souls, ya see? Some other kinda magic helps them to age till a specific age. Then they purify themselves with fire, and don' age at all. Tis' a ritual you follow when ya grow old. But the fire burnt ya up real good, so you won't age no more."

I turned and looked at myself in the mirror and sighed.

Lately, I had been feeling weak. I couldn't understand what was happening. Even the house seemed to have loosen some of its liveliness. Whenever I opened my senses to the house, it rumbled and growled.

 _Feed me, Ellen._

I found that the symptoms of my disease started returning. It happened slowly, but gradually it started to make an impact on my health. My skin started to crack and shed. No amount of moisturizer would stop the cracking, and soon it started bleeding. My legs became weak, I couldn't move much. Of all the horrors, this feared me the most.

"It's starting, Ellen. You'll have to feed the house soon." The cat often told me.

My skin was rough and dry. My lips were chapped and skin was wearing out at places. My legs however, they were the worst, weak and fragile.

"It's time to let the barriers down, Ellen."

I took one last look at my reflection and closed my eyes. I felt the magic surge in me, the blissful feel of magic. But magic had its perks. It needed souls, and I was already running low. It didn't take much magic to put the barriers down, but it took an impact on my health. As soon as I let the barriers down, I felt weak and fragile. I looked outside desperately. _Hurry._

Around afternoon, when I was sipping some herbal tea, I felt someone in the forest. The mere feel of human touch sent a shot of power through me, and I dropped the teacup on the floor. The cat looked up amused, and went back to licking itself. With trembling hands I picked up the teacup and put it on the table. Then I closed my eyes and—

 _A boy. Younger than me, around eight years old. His hair was red and tousled, and he had freckles all over his face. His eyes were green like the leaves on the trees, his face grinning. He was chasing a rabbit—one of my forest. He looked around and gasped at the beauty of my roses. He went further in the forest, gazing at a blue butterfly._

I exclaimed in exasperation. I couldn't will the trees to kill the boy, the earth wouldn't open up to swallow him further. My brow knotted in frustration. What was keeping me from using my magic on him?

 _He looked around, astonished as to why he hadn't been to this part of the forest. Ah,yes- he was told a witch lived there, one who killed everyone who dwelled in her forest. He took out a gold locket with something engraved on it. How stupid! He thought. His mother had insisted he carry it even when he told her that he wouldn't go in the deeper forest. A charm, she told him, would keep the witch from doing her magic on him._

A charm? I opened my eyes to see the cat staring outside the window.

"A charm?" I repeated my question out loud.

"Yes. As long as he has it, you can't do nothin' to im'."

I sighed, and sat down. I didn't want to kill him anyways, it was useless. The boy hadn't done any wrong to me, he wasn't selfish to me.

"Let him go, I'll find myself someone else." I slumped into the chair.

"But Ellleeeen. I'm hungry ya see? If you don' kill im' how'll we eat? I feed on ya souls too, ya know." The cat shrieked.

"Well then you'll have to wait. I possibly can't take that charm from him, can I?"

The cat's eyes perked up. "Fine then, Ellen." Then he turned and chuckled.

"What?" I asked him, annoyed.

"Nothin'" the cat smiled, showing its fangs.

"Tell me." I narrowed my eyes dangerously.

"Was jus' thinkin' ya know, his mother must've loved him a lot to give him a charm ya? Unliked yours, who tried to kill ya." He chuckled.

This statement felt like a stab to my gut. My mother, my selfish mother who tried to kill me. Who never stopped my stupid father from poisoning me. And then there was this boy, who had a mother who loved him so much, she gave him a charm to protect him. Tears built up in my eyes. This boy, a mere human- dare he show me his charm to make me feel jealous. I angrily wiped my tears and closed my eyes, right after staring at the cat's smug face.

 _Selfish._

 _Something rustled behind him and he got up. It was a beast I had willed for him to kill. But the boy ran from there, straight to my house. What a big house! He wondered. He looked at the huge wooden door wondering whether to knock or not.._

I opened my eyes as soon as I heard a knock. I moved towards the door as fast as I could, tripped at places. I opened the door and smiled.

"H-hey! Is this your house? The boy asked, grinning nervously.

"Yes, it is. My name is Ellen." I smiled and held out my hand.

"My name is Dylan, nice to meet ya!" he touched my hand and I jerked back. His hand stung me awfully. I looked at my hand and saw it bleed.

"Oh, are you okay?" He asked in concern.

"Yes just.. would you like to come in for some cake?" I grinned and motioned inside.

"Sure!" He ran inside and sat on the sofa.

"You're house is beautiful!" he exclaimed and touched the velvet cushions.

"My father was a wealthy man." I smiled and replied. I was thinking of ways to get the charm off him. I couldn't use my power on him, but I could use it on the cake.

"Here it comes." I said, as the food came on a silver trolley tray. Dylan exclaimed as he saw the tray coming by itself.

"Woah! You must know magic!" He exclaimed as he gorged on the cake. "Mm, strawberry shortcake- my favorite."

"Have some more then." I said pleasantly with my eyes narrowed.

After a few moments, when he had finished eating, he let out a little burp and settled on the couch.

"Hey Dylan," I turned and looked at him, "you're my friend right?"

"Of course I am." He looked at me as though it was obvious.

"Well then, I'll let you on to a little secret." I looked at him in the eyes and started to compel him. It sapped a lot of power, but I stayed focused, the smile never slipping.

"I am witch. The one your mother warned you about." I told him, my voice like a purr.

"What the-" He stared at me and soon his eyes began to glaze over.

"That's okay right?" I asked him, my voice honey sweet.

"Of course, it's because we're friends." He said sheepishly.

"Friend." For a moment I thought about the word. _Friend._ Then I remembered and snapped back into attention.

"Good. So now, take your charm out of your pocket and throw it away." I ordered and he obeyed unhesitatingly.

"Now go to sleep." I cooed into his ear. In a few moments, he stared snoring. My forehead started to ache and my body felt weaker than usual. I guess I had used a lot of energy.

 _Feed me. Feed me. Feed me._

I wiped the sweat from my forehead. My vision became blurry and dizzy.

 _FeedmeFeedmeFeedmeFeedme._

"Patience." I snapped and looked at the roof.

I took out my knife and touched it gingerly. I looked at the boy sleeping innocently and me about to kill him for myself. I was the selfish one now. I winced.

"Do it, Ellen." I recognized the cat's voice. I nodded slightly and slit the boy's throat. As life poured out of him, I felt a hum of joy and life in me and the house. I looked at the surroundings and everything seemed brighter. I looked at the cat and it seemed to be glowing.

I smiled. I am selfish but it's worth it.

That night I looked up the meaning of friend in an old dictionary—

 _Friend: Someone who selflessly loves you and gives up comfort for you._

Friend.


	8. Chapter 8

_I'll keep you safe…_

I squinted into the horizon, the sun directly in my eyes, not that I could feel the piercing sun. I closed my eyes and felt for some touch. It was a complete still. No sign of life anywhere near it. I sighed and got down from the sill I had been perked up on. I picked up a nearby hand mirror and looked at myself. My skin was red and bubbly; the rash had spread all over my forehead. My legs were awfully diseased, with raging skin boils. My head throbbed and I was almost too weak to walk. I was going blind, or so I thought. My eyes had a layer of something white that made it hard to see. I could just distinguish figures, but that was it. I threw the mirror down in anger and shook my head to stop the tears. Suddenly I saw a ball of black move in front of me. I sniffed and wiped my eyes hastily.

"There's some tea for ya here, Ellen." The cat quietly said.

"I am not hungry." I whispered.

"Ellen, ya gotta eat, ya know." The cat exclaimed, clearly annoyed. It jumped down from the couch, from what I could see and I felt something furry and soft touch my leg. It was the cat's tail. It wrapped it around my leg and guided me to the sofa. When I reached the sofa, I sat down with a plop and started crying bitterly. The truth of the situation dawned upon me. I had killed people excessively, not leaving any opportunity, even when I didn't really need any soul. Everyone was too scared to come into the forest. Children never even wondered near the forest's outskirts. It started taking an impact on my health. Now I had to use the cat to move around..

The cat just stayed where it was, not moving an inch. I thought I was staring at me, but then I realized that it's ears, or well smudged triangles on the top of its head, where standing up. Then I felt an eerie feeling upon me and suddenly my head started throbbing as though my skull would explode, and I blacked out.

I woke up, my head woozy and groggy. I was still on the sofa, but it was a little darker outside. I didn't know what had happened, except that I had blacked out. I reached out my sensed to around the house, but then I felt nothing. My eyes flew open in shock and dread. The house felt cold and dead. Vaguely as it was, I tried to move the nearby chair. To my surprise, my powers didn't work. I panicked and quickly shot up from the sofa. Something was wrong and-

I heard a crash downstairs, and jerked up. "Cat?" I whispered slowly, knowing that the cat could hear me if it was nearby. I slowly trudged out of the room and downstairs careful not to bump into anything due to my eyesight and-

I stared at it, my eyes wide with shock and automatically my hand flew up to my mouth to contain my gasp. Even with my poor eyesight, I could make out what was in front of me. The cat's mutilated body was strewn across on the floor, his head exploded. A pool of blood had formed around where its head was supposed to be. Scared, I moved ahead, careful on to make a sound, when I heard another crash in the dining hall. I slowly made my way to the hall, and peeked from behind the door gingerly. Someone stood in front of me; I couldn't make out anything except that he was bald and had his back on me. He had something gray in his hands that I quickly identified as a gun. A deadly weapon it was- I'd read it in of the books. I quickly sensed something deadlier with him. A charm, though I couldn't see it- it was one of the most powerful I've ever sensed. That is why my powers went dead. I quickly turned around and started walking as efficiently as I could, trying not to bump into anything, but inevitably bumped into a dresser. Everything came down crashing and I tripped down, a shard of glass from the vase hitting me in the eye. It struck my eye and the pain was unbearable, everything around me started spinning. "Holy.."

I heard and glanced back, the glass shard still in my eye. It didn't hurt as much right now, probably due to the adrenaline in my body. The hunter was jammed to his spot, staring at me wide eyed. "Of anything that's unholy, that's one ugly bitch."

My quick ears caught his murmur and I realized he meant my diseased face as well. With tears in my one good eye, I hastily got up and started running. He tried shooting at me and then cursed when he realized he needed to reload. Just as I was opening the door to my freedom, a gunshot filled the surroundings and I got down on my knees. The bullet had hit me on the calf, the pain was unbearable. I screamed out in pain, as I wobbled outside. Darkness hit me face first and with all the energy I could muster, I went to hide in the bushes. Another gunshot filled the air and I realized that both my legs were now maimed. With tears streaming down my cheeks, I crawled towards the safety of the bush. My eye had now started to hurt awfully, and I realized that I was crying blood tears. Another gunshot. The side of my stomach started to pain and the corner of my eyes were getting enveloped in blackness.

I lay on the ground, my breathing hoarse, when suddenly a rose prison formed around me. The last defense I was capable of. But it didn't matter. The gun was metal. The bullet was metal. As I heard a click, I saw the man's eyes open wide as he got enveloped in darkness. It was like a cloud of black mist when only at the end I saw a pair of eyes.

A pair of cat like eyes.

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	9. Chapter 9

p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"emSo I beg,/em/p  
p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"emDon't go away…/em/p  
p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"emFriend./em/p  
p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"I slowly opened my eyes, unaware of what happened. I remembered the man and me blacking out. As soon as my body was in full consciousness, I became aware of the terrible pain. It was everywhere. My face was bandaged, my dress was bloodied, and my legs.. well they were awful. I couldn't feel my legs from the calves and below and whatever I felt was horrible. The sheets were bloodied from my legs and I couldn't bear to look at them anymore. My hand was on my stomach and realized it was bloody and sticky. Suddenly I saw black mist surround me and a cloud of black smoke stood in front of me. Its eyes were the only feature I recognized- it was the cat. Unable to say anything, I squinted my eyes./p  
p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""Hello Ellen." The demon narrowed its eyes at me. Its voice had changed. It sounded like a grown man, its voice heavy and devoid of any emotion./p  
p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"I took a deep breath in return, not wanting to speak./p  
p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""You should thank me," the demon continued, floating around, "After all it was me who saved your life. With all that was left, I saved you. He ruined my host body, so I had no option but to reveal my form."/p  
p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""You.. Why did you save me.." I whispered, my body aching with every word./p  
p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"The demon's eyes perked up in interest and he carefully replied, "Because it was the last thing you commanded me before you blacked out."/p  
p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"I glinted my eyes angrily at it. "I never.. commanded anything.." I croaked./p  
p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""But you did. I sensed it, even though you didn't voice it."/p  
p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"I didn't know why my vision was so blurry- if it was the tears or the disease- I closed my eyes and inhaled, my body aching. "If.. If only I would've died.. This pain… It's unbearable…" I finished and started crying, my body shaking and aching./p  
p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""Ellen." I didn't open my eyes./p  
p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""Ellen." I still kept my eyes closed and whispered- "I can't even feel my own house anymore."/p  
p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"Something dropped on my lap, and I opened my eyes. I picked up the bottle as recognition dawned upon me…/p  
p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"It was a baby pink bottle, with dark red roses on it. It smelled sickly sweet of roses and berries and was red in color…/p  
p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"It was my medicine./p  
p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"I picked up the bottle with my trembling hands and stared at it. I then closed my eyes. "What is the… meaning of this…?" I whispered, but it couldn't hide the snark and anger in my tone./p  
p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""If you drink it, you will die." The demon said./p  
p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"I opened my eyes and looked at the bottle. My escape from all this, all the pain and suffering. Everything. My ticket to—/p  
p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"Something metal touched my hand. It was my knife, jutting out of my pocket, the same knife I had killed so many with. My knife. Ellen's knife. Suddenly everything came rushing back to me—all that I had suffered through, all that I had done and killed to live this life. I promised myself a healthy ending. This wasn't it. This wasn't the way I planned my end. I couldn't die the way my selfish, arrogant parents wanted me to die./p  
p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""No.." I pushed the bottle away and it fell down. It toppled down the bed and rolled away./p  
p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""What?" the demon asked confused./p  
p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""No… I do not want this…" I trembled as I met its eyes./p  
p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""What do you want then?"/p  
p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"What did I want? A healthy body. Clearly it wasn't going to happen, no amount of magic would clear this body away. Think, think hard. A healthy body… a switch perhaps?/p  
p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""Is…" I asked, afraid to know, "Is there a way… I could take a human's body…?"/p  
p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""There is. I can teach you one last spell but…" the demon flicked its eyes away./p  
p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""But what?" I pressed on./p  
p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""The host needs to be willing for the switch. Clearly your position won't let that happen." His eyes examined my body./p  
p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"But I refused to give up. This could not be the end for me. Suddenly something sparked up inside me and just like that, I knew./p  
p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""I know how…" I met the demon's eyes. "I need a… friend."/p  
p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""But how? You can't compel." The demon asked, still unsure./p  
p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""Pity then. Pity will make them work for me." I glanced down at my body. Definitely pity. But then I remembered something else. "But I can't lure them in. It has to be a child. A girl perhaps…" I sighed./p  
p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"The demon remained quiet for a few moments and then shifted. "Fine. I will get you a girl but I can help you no further. He came near my bed and suddenly produced the dead cat corpse. It had a head though./p  
p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""But I saw…" I glanced at the body. It's stomach was tore open but what I had seen before was more gory./p  
p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""I have many corpses. That was my last one though." He shrugged and continued. "With the last of your power, I want you to heal the corpse, and I can get you a friend."/p  
p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"I stared back at the cat. I didn't have much power left. I glanced at myself. If this didn't work, my powers would be sapped and I wouldn't be healed either. But I had to take chances…/p  
p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"I touched the cat and felt the power surge within me. Suddenly its wounds closed and it became whole again. My hand went limp beside me and I took a deep breath. I felt weaker than before./p  
p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"The demon dissolved into the cat and then got up. It looked at /"Will get ya a friend, Ellen. To convince her is your thing."/p  
p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"With that he left./p  
p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"Couple of hours later, I felt a humanly touch in the forest. A little life surged into my body and a girl with golden braids and olive green eyes stepped inside the forest./p  
p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"emMy friend./em/p 


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note:**

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 **HEY GUYS! THANKS A LOT FOR THE REVIEWS! I KEPT THEM IN MIND AS I WROTE THIS CHAPTER! DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE A REVIEW TO LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU LIKED AND HOW TO IMPROVE WHAT YOU DIDN'T! THANKS A LOT (:**

* * *

 **Viola**

 _You were a girl,_

 _Looking for someone to care,_

 _But as I entered your house,_

 _Cruel tricks were played, I unaware._

 _Please let me leave..._

I woke up to the sound of birds and sunlight shining on my face. I scrunched up my face as I squeezed my teddy. I hated waking up in the mornings. All I heard was the sound of kids going to school, something my father couldn't afford. It wouldn't matter even if he did—I had to take care of the house while he was working. My father was a hunter by professional. He sold most of his game and brought some for dinner. My father told me that my mother had died when I was very young. She had died while conceiving my baby brother, who had also died with her. Since then, it was me and my father. Healways left early in the morning, and I woke up whenever it pleased me. I hated waking up to hear the kids go to school, their happy shrieks and laughs. I wanted to go to school, to learn to read and write. To make friends…

I got up and took a quick bath. I got dressed and stood in front of the mirror, as I brushed my golden hair. I scrunched up my eyes; they were olive green. I wouldn't have minded my mom's blue eyes with my golden hair, but so be it. My father had beautiful leaf-like green eyes- and i was stuck with olive green. I hastily braided my hair and picked up my berry basket. Maybe I should surprise father with some berry pie…

I shut the door of the cottage and set out to pick berries. I was proud to admit that I had gotten pretty good at distinguishing berries. However today, I couldn't find a single one, which was kind of obvious, since it wasn't their season. I searched practically everywhere. Except…

Everyone said that we weren't allowed to go to the forest. I don't know why, I asked father but always got kind of sad. He just told me that his brother- Dylan, had gotten lost in the forest. No one could find him. That's all he ever told me. I had seen old pictures; his brother was merely eight years old when he had gotten lost. And he was very handsome- red hair and eyes as green as leaves. My father didn't look like him. He had brown hair that was now grayed. The only think that related them was the green eyes. They were both so different and yet he missed him so much… He always warned me to take this old charm everyone had in the village give by some really old priest who had died long ago. My father forced me to take it, even when I was just going for a walk on the edge of the forest. I had also heard that the forest had all kinds of berries…

I did not have the charm with me and the house was a long way back. I figured that I wouldn't get lost; I would just pick the berries around and walk straight back. So unhesitatingly, I stepped into the forest. It was beautiful—birds chirping, trees in full blossom even though the season was gone. I couldn't believe it. I found a bush of the very berries I needed and started piling them when I heard a soft meow. I looked up and saw a cat, look at me, its eyes unflinching. "Here kitty." I whispered and it quickly came and starting rubbing itself on my leg. I picked it up and tickled it and it started purring. It was beautiful—soft black fur, and big golden eyes. Suddenly it sprang free and started walking towards the forest. After a while it stopped, probably sensing I wasn't following and looked back as if beckoning me to come. Hesitating just for a second, I ran behind it. It was like nothing around me for a moment, nothing except that cat. My eyelids started to droop and I ran as fast as I could. Suddenly I tripped and fell down and came to a halt. The dizziness and the fuzziness had gone. I started up ahead and saw a huge mansion, so big and beautiful; my hand instantly came over my mouth. No one had told me about this mansion in the woods—heck no one even knew about it! I gingerly walked into the house and for some reason it reminded me about the fable of Hansel and Gretel. I looked back at the forest, and it seemed to be covered thicker than it looked while coming in. I didn't know which way I had come from. Panic shot through me and I looked at the house. Maybe someone here could help me… The door was ajar, and I peeked in. Everything was beautifully kept- neat and clean- except for a trail of red leading to a room upstairs. It was like a straight path and looked vaguely like paint. "Hello? Anyone home?" I cautiously followed the trail, the stairs and the floor creaking under me. The red trail was sticky and wet. I squinted my eyes and just for a moment thought it was blood. But then I laughed it off, feeling silly. "Excuse me.. um is anyone in here?" I whispered, but even then my voice echoed throughout. "W..ho…?" I heard a faint reply. It came from behind the door the trail was leading to. I slowly walked through and opened the door…

It was hard to contain a gasp. I saw a little girl, probably smaller than me. I was thirteen but she looked vaguely nine or ten. She lay on a bed that was drenched red. Her torso, that was half out of the blanket from above, looked completely drenched in blood. Her face was bandaged, but I saw some uneven red skin underneath that I detected as some sort of a rash. Her eyes peeked from under the bandages, and they were golden-brown, exactly like a cat's. Her hair was purple and glossy. But that beauty didn't hide the awfulness of her body. I quickly looked down to control myself from screaming and running away. It wasn't her fault she looked that way. "Oh… I'm sorry. I didn't know I was trespassing…" I mumbled into the wooden floor. To my horror, I saw the presumed "red paint" on my boots and suddenly didn't find myself too silly for thinking it to be blood, for it probably was…

"…Oh… It's quite alright…I'm Ellen." I could sense her wince at every word, but I couldn't seem to look in the face. "Um… I'm Viola, nice to meet you." I mumbled.

"…I… I didn't catch that, I'm afra…id." She replied back hoarsely.

"I'm Viola, nice to meet you." I spoke up and met her face. As soon as I saw it, my heart flooded with pity. She seemed so nice, and so harmless. It wasn't her fault that God gave her the disease she had. I smiled. She looked at me and hesitated, and then said- "Do you mind coming up close? I'm afraid my eyesight isn't that well."

"Oh, of course." I went up to her and stood beside her. "You can take that chair." She gestured towards her dresser and pointed at the white chair. I dragged it towards her and sat on it.

"I am sorry, I didn't mean to trespass. I was just lost and…" She looked up and smiled. "It's quite alright really. Besides, it… isn't like I had much company. Would you like some tea?"

I didn't get it. When I was standing a feet away, she seemed so fragile. But as I neared her, she sort of seemed to heal. It was crazy, almost like my presence was healing her. Then I shrugged the idea off.

"Yes of course, are you sure you don't mind me here?" I asked, still hesitant.

"Oh no Viola, it's quite lovely to have someone to talk to." She smiled. Suddenly there was a knock on the ajar door, and I looked back. There was a tray of fine cutlery on the floor. It had two cups of steaming tea and cake. But there was no one around… "Could you get that, Viola?" Ellen smiled and asked. "Oh… um sure." I went and picked up the tray and looked around. There was no one in sight. Surprised I returned and Ellen scooted over. I placed the tray on the bed and we both took a cup each.

Ellen asked me a lot of questions- about my home, my family, the village. Her eyes shone whilst I answered. The good thing about Ellen was that she let me talk as much as I wanted. Everyone back home didn't notice me much, and father wasn't really talkative. So it felt nice to be the centre of attention for a change.

"Where are your parents, Ellen?" I smiled and looked around.

Ellen looked up at the ceiling and stared. "They don't live here." I opened my eyes wide in surprise. "So you mean you have the whole house to yourself? Who takes care of you?" There had to be someone in this house to change her bandages and cook for her.

"I have servants. They feed me and take care of me. My parents don't care for me." She replied, her voice bitter.

"Of course they care for you. Look at this huge house, the garden and everything. You have fine clothes and food. So of course they care for you." I felt a little angry at her submission. How could she think her parents didn't love her?

She turned towards me and squinted her eyes. I shivered under her gaze, her eyes were glinting with anger. "Have your parents ever tried to poison you? Have they ever lied about loving you? Why do you think they keep me in this house, away from everyone? Did you know about the house in the middle of the woods? Does anyone?"

I shrugged and looked down. It was true, I didn't know about the house. I didn't know she existed.

"No, of course not." She replied, her voice soft, "It wasn't your fault. My parents wanted me to be hidden. Even the villagers take part in it. And it's all because of my face. Because of how I look. My parents hate me, the villagers hate me. They don't want me to interact with their kids. But it's not catching."

I realized the last remark was meant for her disease. "Of course not. I know that." I quickly replied, firmly.

She smiled. "It wouldn't matter you know. Wouldn't matter if the villagers would tell their children about me. They would run away scared nonetheless. Except you. You're not running away." She looked at me, hopefully.

"There's nothing to run away from." I replied warmly.

"Meow." I looked behind me and saw the cat. It walked towards us and jumped on the bed and lay beside Ellen. She didn't pet it, so I decided to instead. "Is this your cat?" I picked it up and lovingly stroked it. "Yes." She replied. "It certainly is a beauty." I stroked its soft fur and it purred. "Do you like animals, Viola?" "Oh yes, I love animals! Though I never had one. Father hates animals. But I once had a frog. I tamed it pretty well too." I replied, remembering the frog I had when I was two. I tamed it to pick things up and come to me when I whistled. It was childish, but I really loved it.

"A frog?" Ellen laughed and I laughed with her. "Well, all I ever had was this cat, and well, it's pretty tamed as well." Ellen looked over at the cat and it looked back. They held gazes and it seemed as though they were having a silent conversation. I cleared my throat to get her attention. She looked at me and grinned. We talked a little more and then I noticed the time.

"Oh dear! It's getting dark. I should head back… but… I don't know the way…" I said, looking out the window.

"Don't worry, my cat can show you the way. I told you it's pretty tame." She glanced at the cat and suddenly it got up and meowed at me. "Oh, I almost forgot. Here." She handed me my basket, the one I had left in the forest. I took it, astonished and surprised. It was filled with berries as well.

"How did you…" I gasped.

"Oh never mind that! Hurry, it's getting late. I don't want you getting lost at night. One more thing…" she looked over at me.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Will you… Will you come see me again?" she asked hesitantly.

I smiled. "Of course, we're friends, aren't we?"

She bid me farewell and I exited the house, following the cat. It certainly was a lovely day indeed. I reached the end of the forest and saw the village lights. I petted the cat one last time.

"Thanks for introducing me to Ellen." I whispered and smiled at the cat.

"Meow." It replied.

I ran back to the village, the basket of berries in my hands.


	11. Chapter 11

_Tables are turned,_

 _Pity is altered to hate._

 _All those cruel things done to me,_

 _They were unfair- now you can't leave._

I went to Ellen's house many times after that. We talked, we ate, and we played as much as she could. But she seemed to be getting worse. She showed me her legs that day, and I tried hard not to gag. I could see the bone mixed with flesh and blood. Every day I came home late, sometimes even later than father. I always made sure to pick up fresh berries or fruits before coming back- just to let father know. Today as I sat besides Ellen, she seemed extra frail.

"Is everything alright, Ellen?" I asked as she started coughing vigorously.

"Um… Yes, I-I am fine." She asked as she spat out some blood into her handkerchief.

"Do you want me to get you your medicine?" I asked, deeply concerned, for I thought she might choke.

"Well, yes- could you hand me the one on the bedside? My legs… " She closed her eyes in agony and gestured towards a clear vial with green liquid. I handed it to her but it slipped down, but didn't break.

"Oh my, I am sorry." I bent down to pick it up and found another bottle. It was light pink with dark pink roses on and smelled sickly sweet. I picked both the bottles up and handed the vial to Ellen.

"What's this?" I asked her once she drank up the green goo.

She looked at the bottle and held it in her hands, they were trembling so much- I thought she might break. She looked at the bottle, tears in her eyes, soaking the bandage.

"Ellen?" I asked quietly.

"It was my father's…" she replied, as though it would explain everything. She told me her father told her he loved her best.

"When's he coming to meet you?" I asked her, trying to stop her from crying.

Suddenly with full force, she threw the bottle on the ground and started crying. "Don't you get it? Did I not tell you already? My parents hate me, the villagers hate me, they all absolutely hate me!"

"But you said you father had loved you." I replied, meekly.

"Well, he lied." She snapped.

"I am really sorry, Ellen." Because I was.

"It doesn't matter. I am a no one." She replied bitterly and turned towards the window.

"Hey! That's not true." I said, defiant.

"Has your father ever talked about the beastly girl living in the house in the middle of the forest? No. No one has. It doesn't matter, I already told you- no one acknowledges me."

"I do." I replied, hurt by her submission, thinking I am a no one. "I am your friend, I matter don't I? I know what you're going through."

"Yes sweet Viola, you're my only friend. The only one who cares for me. But even you don't understand how I feel. You simply cannot. Just like I can't understand how it feels to be in a healthy body like yours." She replied, her voice soft, but I could hear her jealousy.

"Well, if I could give you my body, I really would Ellen." I told her, even though it wasn't true. And it was silly. It just couldn't happen- it was impossible.

"Really?" She replied, and suddenly I heard a sly tone in her usually nice and sweet voice. It was so unusual for her.

"Yes, but it can't happen, and I am really sorry." I replied.

"Well what if it did?" She replied, the same seductiveness in her voice, and it made me uncomfortable. I had to find a way out.

"Oh dear, Ellen. It's so late. I better get going." I got up and pushed the chair aside. All this talk was making me very uncomfortable. "I'll see you tomorrow Ellen, Goodbye." But she never replied.

I couldn't help but feel guilty. I should've just said yes, that I would certainly trade bodies with her- just to make her happy. She would die soon, I was sure of it. She was sure of it, I am sure. She was smart, and she was my age as well- thirteen, though she looked ten. All the way home I thought about our talk feeling extremely guilty. I reached home and saw father standing in front of the door, furious.

"You went to the forest, didn't you?" Father angrily pulled at my hand and dragged me into the house.

"Father…" I looked at him, tears in my eyes. I had never seen him this angry before.

"Why did you go there, Viola?" He demanded.

"I went to see my friend, Ellen." I replied.

"Humph! I've never heard of an Ellen before! Do you expect me to believe that?" He replied angrily.

"But she doesn't live in the village, Father! She lives near the forest!" I shrieked.

"You mean to tell me that you have been going to the forest to meet your friend, every day?" He seemed shocked and scared. I didn't understand why. Except…

Ellen had told me the villagers were afraid of Ellen, that they would do anything to keep their children from playing with her. They hated her… because of her face.

Anger snapped within me- for my father, for the villagers, for everyone. How dare they! It wasn't Ellen's fault. I stared at father defiantly, for the first time in my life. Anger bubbled inside me, the way it had never before.

"What's wrong with going into the forest father?" I shouted at him. I was angry- so angry. How heartless they were!

Father stared at me, his face shocked. Of course it was, I had never talked back. But soon the anger replaced the shock.

"You will not go out of the house, do you hear me?" he screamed.

"You cannot stop me!" I screamed and suddenly tears flooded in my eyes. I rubbed them, but they started flowing. I hated, absolutely hated arguing with my father. I loved him, and yet he refused to acknowledge Ellen. He hugged me and kissed me on the head.

"Viola, please. I say this for your own good. I love you very dearly." He said, stroking my hair.

"But why? Why can't I go to the forest, Father? Tell me. What is so wrong with going to the forest?" I demanded.

"It's just that… Uncle Dylan got-" he shrugged.

"Well I am not Uncle Dylan! My friend is sick and she will die soon!" I screamed as I pushed him away and slammed my door shut.

I looked at myself in the mirror. My healthy body- as Ellen called it. I saw myself, and yet it seemed as though I saw Ellen in the reflected mirror. Her frail body, her legs almost rotted, her eyes bleeding every day.

I promised myself- the next time she asked me if I wanted to change bodies, I shall say yes, for her sake.

It was the least I could do.


	12. Chapter 12

**Sorry about the delay . I will be updating regularly now, so thanks alot for being patient! (: And thanks a lot to everyone who reviewed! :D**

* * *

 _Give up all hope,_

 _I will escape_

 _Don't trap me here, oh I beg_

 _Let me be me… again._

The next day I woke to the thundering of clouds. I woke up; surprised to see it was 8 in the morning. I had never slept in late before, but the sunlight wasn't there to greet me up. I got out of bed and looked around. Obviously I was alone- father had gone to hunt even in this weather. Typical. I opened the door to the kitchen and saw food laid on the table. Along it was a note. I suspected it was father's way to apologize for the fight last night. I wondered where he got the food from- he was an awful cook. But there was pie and sandwiches and a huge cake spread out. We couldn't afford to eat such luxuries so I tempted by the sight, I sat down and decided to make myself a hearty breakfast. The clouds growled and lightning crackled, and it started raining. I lit a candle and quickly pocketed the note kept on top of the tray. I could read it later- it was probably an apology note. While eating and relishing the food, I thought of Ellen. Yesterday's talk made me realize how much father loved me. Sure he could be a little overprotective, but he cared about me. I couldn't bear to see my father hurt- not for Ellen, not for anyone. And I might admit, yesterday looking at Ellen's eerie side, I was a bit astonished and scared. For once, I looked at her the way everyone did- a sickly, beastly looking girl, looking at me like I was food for her to pounce on. Her hands, her face, her hollow eyes that bled and her sickly, sickly legs. I cringed at the thought of me thinking so beastly about anyone. She is sick Viola, I told myself. She can't help it. If you don't want to look at her, don't go to meet her. But don't be mean. I chastised myself.

I admired the rain. I let a dog into the barn outside. I plucked a daisy. I did all I could to not think about Ellen anymore. I felt as though everything I saw wanted to guilt me about abandoning her. The dog reminded me of the cat she had. The rain reminded me of the blood she always had on her. The daisy reminded me of her roses. Even the cake reminded me of the pastries she selflessly gave me thinking of me to be her only "friend". I slammed my door shut and stared at myself in the mirror. But instead of seeing me, I saw Ellen, lying on her bed, staring at the door waiting for me. I could see her pain, but she wore a thin smile to welcome me. She adjusted her ribbons self consciously, thinking to look good when I came. She would act a little angry, she thought- but then she'd forgive me for being late. But as she saw the pouring rain outside her window, her smile faltered as she realized I won't come. She cringed in pain as blood and pus flowed out of her eyes and the skin of her legs boiled and bled. She needed to get rid of these cursed things…

Without thinking, I grabbed my mackintosh and sped towards her house, almost slipping at places. I didn't know what I saw but I ran as fast as I could and stopped at the entrance to see the cat calmly sitting in front of the door.

"Move kitty…" I said, gasping for air.

"She did it ya know?"

I looked at the cat surprised and then looked around. Who spoke? Surely not the cat?

"Twas' me who spoke." I stared at the cat, my mouth opened in astonishment as the lining of its nuzzle moved and the words came out.

"Are you… are you talking to me?" I whispered, astonished.

"Course I am. She did it you know." It repeated and I stared at it.

"Did what?" I asked, barely able to mutter the words.

"Cut off her legs." It replied calmly.

"Ellen… cut off her legs…?" I gasped as I thought about the reflection. Was it true- what I saw?

"She couldn't bear the pain. And you're late." I caught the sense of accusation in its voice, but I didn't care. I didn't care about the weird speaking cat, about the astonishing discovery I just made. I ran towards Ellen's room, nearly tripping over the cat. I saw her lay on the floor, her face sunken, one hand on her stomach, and one hanging loose halfway to the floor with a cleave gripped in her hand. Her bed sheets and clothes were soiled with so much blood that it was hard to make out one from another. Her cheeks were so sunken, she looked like a skeleton and her skin was translucent and sickly. She didn't have the bandages on and her eyes had a hollow, faraway look.

"E…Ellen…?" I whispered, scared and fearing for what she did. I couldn't take my eyes off the cleaver which had blood dripping from it and had bits of flesh stuck to its metal.

"Viola…?" Her voice was barely a whisper of wind; I would've missed it if I wasn't expecting it.

"W…What did you do…?" I whispered, as I slowly stared at the bloody bed sheet.

"It… hurts much… less…" she groaned as she shifted.

I screamed as I ran towards her and yanked the blanket off her torso. I squealed as I saw the horrifying scene. Her legs were cut off from below the knees and were on the bed. I gagged and stared at it, the smell of blood, flesh and sweat and cloves tingling my nose. I stared at the legs, and then around, wondering what to do- who to call. A squeak from Ellen brought me back to reality and I shuffled around to look for cotton and bandages. "Oh Ellen, what have you done!" I screamed as I cleaned her bed and pulled the sheets away. I picked up the legs with blankets, pretending they were barks of trees father bought for the fireplace. I wrapped her legs up in bandages, and cleaned the blood. I dressed her from the clothes I found in her cupboard. I lit the fireplace and made some tea for her to drink. I frantically looked around for medicine and fed her. I applied medicine on her sores and rewrapped her head. All this while her eyes never left my face, almost daring me to look back. But I never met her gaze, angry at her for doing this but most angry at me for letting it happen.

After I wrapped the last bandage, she caught my hand with her weak, boney ones and I stared at her in astonishment. We held gazes and then she dropped her eyes shyly and replied in a meek tone, "Didn't think you'd come." And smiled as she looked up at me.

My heart burst and broke with sympathy and pity for her, I thought I would cry.

"How could I not? I am your friend, aren't I?" I replied, my voice breaking mid sentence and I cleared my throat.

She stared at my hand as she gripped it, and felt my skin. I resisted the urge to smack her hand away, it was bony and her skin was light and so thin, I could see her veins and bone outline. After what seemed like forever, she started wailing and crying. I sat besides her, hugging and stroking her hair as a mother would to a child. I made soft noises, trying to calm her down.

"Why did this happen to me? I don't want this. I thought it wouldn't hurt if I just cut them off, but it hurts even more." She gestured to her legs.

"I know." I repeated as I rubbed her back. The sleeve of my mackintosh was dripping with blood of her tears. "Sorry about your coat." She whispered and I shrugged. "It's only a mac." I smiled, even though I didn't feel like smiling. This day was horrible, horrible, horrible. She sat up straight, leaning against the huge pile of pillows and stared at the mirror, her face blank.

"I wish I could just die." She said in an even, leveled tone.

I stood up and cried, "Of course not! You cannot die. I am here now, aren't I? It's gonna be alright Ellen, it truly will." I clutched and shook her a little. How could she say that? But I knew how. What I saw today was awful.

She narrowed her eyes and then looked at me, her face smiling. "You don't understand my pain. No one does." And then looked away.

I took a deep breath and did what I promised myself I would. "You're right I don't. I wish I could do something to help you. Truly help you. I would trade bodies even, for a whole day, to make you feel better. I really would if it was possible Ellen." I clutched the sides of my dress and smiled bravely.

She smiled a crooked smile and narrowed her eyes. It was an odd expression, something I had never seen. "You really would?" her voice was filled with sadness and a little excitement if I caught it right. Probably because no one had ever said something so sweet about her.

I smiled, "Of course."

"Tis' possible, ya know?" I heard a voice behind me and quickly turned. I saw no one except the black cat. Surely not…

It jumped and settled on the bed. "Hmm… Better than the mess before, eh Ellen?" It replied. It was definitely talking.

Ellen started stroking the cat as if it speaking was natural.

"Is that cat… speaking?" I asked, astonished.

Ellen narrowed her eyes and looked from the cat to me and then back. "You can hear it?" she replied, her voice hoarse.

"Can you?" I asked, my eyes bulging.

The cat and Ellen locked eyes and I heard a faint whisper not from either of them. _It's time._ It was like wind blowing, and sounded like hissing. I looked around and saw no one. Ellen nodded slightly, and then turned to me.

"Viola…I have to tell you something." She said meekly.

"Anything…" I replied, still wondering how the cat was talking and what the strange noises were.

"My cat says it's time. You have been my friend for long. And you seem like a true friend. I want to tell you about my secret. I am no ordinary person. I have powers. I am magical."

 _Magical._ _Powers._ It seemed as though there was another word to describe it, though I couldn't remember then. I stared at her, suddenly angry and scared.

But then she told me her story. How she was born with a disease and how her father had worsened the disease. Her mother loathed her and kept her away. The miserable life she led. She told me her parents beat her, didn't feed her. They died in a fire, she didn't know how. She was all alone.

Hearing her story, mixed with tragedies and sadness, I felt my heart come out for her.

"I know you won't accept me… and I understand. With being hideous and ugly, I have this weird secret as well. It's like the universe won't ever give me a break." She smiled a sad smile at me and my heart broke.

"Ooh… It hurts so badly." She clenched her forehead to dim the pain and then turned to face away from me. I touched her lightly and whispered, not quite believing my own words.

"I accept you Ellen. I accept you for who you are. You are my friend, and you are worth my while. I don't care about your powers."

She turned and faced me, her eyes wide and astonished.

"Really?" she asked and then broke into a fit of wheezing and hacking as she coughed up some blood and saliva.

"I meant it you know… about giving you my body…" I muttered.

I do not know why I said that. My eyebrows shot up at my own words. But at that moment I could think of nothing but the sympathy I felt for this frail creature in front of me.

 _Just for a day, she said. Only for a day- she convinced me. She told me she would die soon and that it was her only last dying wish. It's bearable the least, she can't even feel her legs anymore- she said. And I believed her. How foolish._

"Are you sure just a day?" I asked cautiously, still hesitant.

"Yes of course. Would I ever lie to you?" She begged.

"What if the pain is unbearable, Ellen? And what about my father? And what if something happens to my body?" I asked, trying to put her off. This thing was bizarre and weird.

"I will keep you safe, Viola. Please, I beg of you. You're my only friend." She replied meekly.

"Um…" I looked away.

"I promise. Please, friend."

I looked at her, her hand outstretched for me to take. I took a few deep breaths and looked at her. A thin mist of black smoke seemed to have started surrounding her. I gingerly placed my hand on hers as the world started revolving and my vision got blurry. The last thing I saw before the blackness overtook was the mist's red, glowing eyes and Ellen's fangs, as her face stretched into an evil, eerie smile.

 _Blackness surrounded me and I couldn't see anything except that I must move forward. I walked and walked, not knowing where to go. Suddenly I came upon a halt as I saw Ellen standing on top of a huge mountain of human bones. Around me were people I didn't know. They were pale and white and I could see through them. They had a sad look on their face. Ellen stood on top of the mountain on her tip toes, her hair flowing, her eyes closed and her arms outstretched on both sides like she was a bird about to take a flight. A red light glowed behind her and the mountain. I looked down to see blood on my brown boots and realized I was standing on corpses of black cats. I started backing away, not realizing what was happening. Suddenly the pale figures came towards me and caught my hands and legs. I shuffled and screamed, but no voice came out. I looked around and tried to get away but failed. Suddenly Ellen opened her eyes and started descending the mountain of bones. She had no trace of her disease. She stopped in front of me and grinned. "Viola. Thank you." She smiled as I saw her fangs. Her mouth didn't move and yet I could hear everything. "Thank you for your sacrifice, it was the greatest of all. Thank you for sacrificing your body to the witch, it takes bravery and courage to offer something so precious up forever." Forever. That word settled into me. Didn't she tell me just a day? "Hmm… I guess I did." Ellen heard my thoughts even though I had said nothing and chuckled and she covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes crinkling. "I lied." She laughed as it echoed throughout. I just stared at her. No… I closed my eyes and cringed. No, please no. Let this be a bad dream. I opened my eyes, tears flowing. I thought of my father and my heart ached. "Worrying about your father, eh? Don't worry. I will love him like Viola. Always did I wonder what it felt like to have a father who actually loved you? Are you having second thoughts about helping me?" she dangerously narrowed her eyes at the last sentence. I just stared at her, my eyes wide. Help, I needed help."Hmm… guess I am as selfish as them all. It's okay, the world owes me. You have beautiful eyes." With that she neared me and dissolved into my body. My vision started blackening again as my eyelids began to droop. Just before I passed out, I saw my Uncle Dylan standing quietly, her face down, his eyes sad._

I woke up to the cringing pain. It was horrible and I couldn't bear it. I looked at my hands and they were pale white and had blood splotches on them. I could feel the bandages on my face. My vision was blurry and I couldn't see beyond the length of my waist. I touched my hair- they were long and soft. I caught them with my hands and gasped. They were light purple. I slowly pulled the blanket off and screamed as I saw my half legs. I screamed- or tried to, but coughed but some blood instead. No, No, No. It happened; it was true. I closed my eyes as the pain became unbearable. I wanted a way out. Something in my memory reminded me that I couldn't die, even though I didn't know why. It was Ellen's memory. Suddenly I felt a touch. I closed my eyes and saw me, Viola, standing in one of the dark, prison like rooms. _Ellen._ My body shook with anger as I recalled her traitorous actions. She called me her friend, promised to protect me, to keep me safe. No, No. The pain was nothing compared to the immense anger I felt towards my dear friend. All those things she did to me were unfair- she took my father, my body- my everything. I felt her, _my,_ touch in the house. My narrowed my eyes.

 _Of course dear Ellen._

 _I now have your powers, or did you forget?_

 _This is my house now._

 _I am the witch._

 _Now you can't leave._

 _Not until you give me what's mine back._

 _Now you can't leave._

 _I won't let you._

 _Give up all hope._

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 **This isn't the last chapter, the next will be. Stay tuned and favorite perhaps? Don't forget to review! Thanks (:**


	13. Chapter 13

**Last chapter ^_^ Hope you enjoy :)**

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 _Oh Viola,_

 _So Foolish,_

 _So Naive,_

 _Never should've trusted the witch,_

 _What did your father tell you?_

 **Ellen**

I squinted my eyes to the sun. The beauty of it was something I had long forgotten due to my blurring vision. My new body hurt so less. I could run in the hallways without tripping. Tears of joy were just water, not blood. The skin of my face was clear and smooth. I was free, I was free.

I had kept Viola trapped in the room for nearly three days now. But my powers were now gripping away from me, the house sensing its new mistress. Soon Viola would be out and about, wanting her body back. As if I would give it to her! This new body hurt much less.

I was sick and tired of hearingmy, _Viola's_ , screams all through the night. Did she think that she could make me feel guilty? Did she know how many years I had been trapped in the same body, long before she was born, tolerating the pain because I couldn't afford to scream anymore? No one was there for me. I got sick of it after a day so I gave her _the medicine._ I didn't lie about it making her feel better- after all it was my body. It would make me feel a whole lot better if she would just shut up. So I gave her the medicine, _the throat burning medicine_ , that she gulped down desperately, until her eyes grew wide and she growled in pain. She lost her voice after that, which worked fine enough for me for I couldn't bear to hear her screams anymore. I remember what she told me around fifty times a day- _Please give it back, Ellen._ She would scream, crying. _Please, I promise I will do anything for you. Please. My father must be so worried._ Her voice would then turn angry. _You will never leave! You will pay for this. You won't get away with this! I won't let you!_ All I could think of was that she was in such intense pain, and yet all she could think about was her father. Why so? Was it because her father was such a good man? It didn't matter. As soon as I leave this house, I would see how good of a father he was.

I stood in front of the mirror, admiring my golden flowing locks. Viola's hair reminded me of my mother's. I felt happy; at least I won't be associated with my traitorous father anymore, though my mother was no better. As I clutched my honey gold hair to braid it the way Viola did, I heard a voice behind me.

"Lovin' the new look, eh?"

I spun around to see my old accomplice. I hadn't seen it since the switch; it had told me it would come back when it was time.

"Where did you find the body?" I replied. The last time I saw it, it had lost the cat's corpse.

"Just nearby." It shrugged as it neared me, its eyes dangerous. "Ellen, it's time." It replied in a deep voice, one I had never heard it use while it was wearing a cat.

I nodded, aware of what it meant.

It was time. Time to leave this house, as it would soon detach itself from me and attach itself to Viola. All the awful memories. I could get rid of it all, except…

"Alright. But there's something I need to do first…" I looked at the hallway, at the direction of a room I had avoided entering in a long time.

The cat narrowed its eyes at me and then closed them and nodded, as though it understood what I was thinking.

"hmm… okay but hurry. Viola will soon get the powers." The cat replied as it walked out of the room, flicking its tail midair.

I hurriedly tied my hair in two uneven braids and closed the door. I walked towards the room, taking deep breaths and calming myself. I hadn't been to this room in a long time. I opened the steel door with a creak as the whole room erupted into screams. Screams of children and adults. Blood curling screams. I winced as I walked towards the first prison door which had a cage beside the cell door. Something fluttered inside it but was invisible. Everything inside the room was invisible except the screams. I took a deep breath and whispered _Father_ as the cell door creaked open. Inside it I couldn't hear the screams outside except the voice of a man screaming and crying.

A faint outline of Father sat at the corner of the jail cell, crying and wailing and clutching his torso, rocking back and forth. He was so pale, almost translucent and his form was flickering, like a light about to go off. "Stop." I whispered as he grew quiet, the main temporarily gone. I neared him. He looked at me in surprise, clearly not recognizing me. "Please… Miss… can you help me…? Some medicine…" His voice was hoarse and rough. I squinted my eyes in anger and replied slowly. "Why would I help you, Father. Didn't you betray me?" His eyes shot up in fear as he recognized who I was. He cowered in a corner and made whimpering noises.

"Why did you betray me, Father?" I asked quietly.

I wanted to know. I had promised myself I would ask one day, but had never gotten the gall to. But now that I was leaving this cursed place behind, I wanted to know. Wanted to know the reason behind the one thing that led to all this.

He didn't reply though.

"TELL ME!" I shouted in anger. Time was ticking, and I wouldn't leave without answers.

I caught him by the scruff and shook him. "Tell me! How could you betray your own daughter?!" I shouted.

"Be-because you killed her…" He replied, his voice shaking with fear.

I stopped and stared at him. What?

"Because I killed Mother?" I asked, confused and angry.

He shook his head and gulped.

"Then who?" I shouted, though I was confused. I hadn't killed anyone at all before.

"Avita."

The name registered to me. Of course I knew who she was.

"Auntie Avita?" I whispered.

His eyes flicked away from me and settled to the corner of the room. I narrowed my eyes at him. Dare he lie to me? I held all the powers.

"I didn't kill Auntie Avita." I replied with gritting teeth, my fists clenched. What madness was this man talking about?

Auntie Avita had died before I was born. She was my mother's sister. I had seen her pictures, she was beautiful. My mother and she shared the same features- golden hair and blue eyes with pale skin. My father talked about her a lot. She had the powers, same as my mother and me. She had gotten away before the villagers were about to hang her for witch trials as well, but had met my mother after she got married to my father. But as I was told, she had died before I was born. Father had told me himself.

"You did… You're her daughter. Her and Mine." He replied as his eyes filled up with tears.

"Shut up! How dare you lie to me!" I screamed as I slammed the door shut and ran out of the room. I sat on the bench under the tree, tears streaming down my cheeks. I wiped my eyes with the back of my hands. I will escape soon, crying won't do me any good. The world will be full of lying bastards. I cannot cry over them all. And yet…

Yet I kept thinking about what father told me. Auntie Avita… Is it true?

"It is."

I jumped and looked beside me to see the cat sitting next to me on the bench. It looked at me and yawned.

"What are you saying?" I replied back, sharply.

"It's true. You're not your mother's daughter, Ellen. Your father and your Aunt had an affair and she died while giving birth to you."

It replied with such ease, like it was the most natural thing.

"What do you mean?" I replied, my voice getting caught in my throat.

"Your father had a fling with your Aunt and she got pregnant. He wanted to leave your mother for she had lost two babies by then, but your mother begged your father to not leave her. Your father had loved your mother dearly, but he loved your Aunt even more. He decided to stay with your aunt, especially now that she was pregnant. On the night you were about to be born, your mother put a spell on your aunt, to make her unhealthy, so that the baby would die and your father would come back to your mother." It paused for a moment as it took a look at my shaking figure, fists clenched. It then continued,

"Of course, she hadn't meant for your aunt to die, though she had meant for her to get infected with disease and ruin her _pretty, pretty face._ Instead, she died and you lived, the disease marking and scarring your face. Everyone believed that it was the delivery, the disease in you, that had killed your aunt- _your mother."_ At that realization, it chuckled and continued, "So everyone thought that you had killed your aunt and no one blamed your mother. No one even knew, not even your father. So he asked your mother if she'd take you both- _you and him_ back with her. She accepted graciously of course. And felt guilty each and every time she saw you. And your father of course, he could never really love your mother, and whenever he saw you, you would remind him of Avita. They said that you would eventually die. Your father thought he was doing you a favor by killing you fast, but he was actually venting out his feelings. _He was blaming you._ He wanted to kill you the day you were born, but a part of him loved you as well. You were the only left part of _her._ So he waited it out, did something he thought was better than painless death. He gave you a painful life, though he just viewed it as Life." He stopped and looked at me as though waiting for my reaction.

But I didn't know what to do, to how to stop these tears from flowing down. Everyone associated with me had a part in me turning out the way I did. Everyone had a part- My so-called _mother_ for doing what she did, _my father_ for poisoning me and watching me squirm everyday and getting a satisfaction out of it, convincing his sick and twisted mind that it was love, _and of course,_ my supposedly _mother,_ Auntie Avita for dying herself rather than killing me and taking me away from this wretched and cursed world. Why? Why could no one ever love Ellen? Did I not deserve to be loved? In this whole world, I was alone. False humans came and went, pushing me into their own depths of "friendship", convincing me that they loved me, but no one wanting to help me. Viola was the same, I told myself. Of course she was. They all were. Just because she had a different depth of friendship did not make her any different. I registered all the names in my family, starting with my father's-

 _Jeremiah_

 _Avita_

 _Nica_

 _And now…_

 _Ellen._

No. I am Viola. And Viola I shall remain because-

I could feel her ramming through the corridors, crawling on her torso, looking for… well her. I jerked up and looked beside me. The cat was gone and I realized that I had to go too. I had to be out of the forest, out of her range. I ran downstairs and towards the hallway where she blocked my path.

"Friend. How lovely to have met you one last time." I smiled at her, as she stared at me her eyes desperate and angry.

"Gih…Uh…Bahh…" she growled and wailed as her eyes traced her _, my_ , body.

"But this body hurts much less." I frowned. Why would I give it back? Was she crazy?

She neared me and I stared at her. I had cut off my legs for this specific reason. So that she couldn't chase me. But it seemed as though her eyes were a problem as well. They were so sad and I felt myself flood with pity…

No. This won't do. Human feelings wouldn't get the better of me. I couldn't look at her eyes, they weren't allowed to give me a sinking feeling. I was superior, she wasn't. I looked around huffily and found a lamp burning. I picked it up and threw the hot oil at her, aiming at her eyes.

She screamed with a monstrous growl and rubbed at her eyes vigorously, but I knew nothing were to save her eyesight. I left her behind and ran outside the house, laughter bubbling up inside of me. I exited the garden when suddenly something white and bright flashed and…

 **Viola**

"Luh…Muhh...Oht…." I struggled to speak as I lay on the floor, my throat burning. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I slammed against the door and slumped down in dejection. Angry tears flowed down my eyes, and slammed my fists against the wall. Why was I even trying? It had been three days, and I still had no access to the powers, even though I felt close. Close but not quite. What was the purpose? I was Ellen's prisoner, and her prisoner I would remain. Maybe it was best that I stopped trying and gave her the body. After all, she had suffered long enough. Besides, this body would soon die out, taking my soul with it. Somewhere at the back of my head, I could see Ellen's memories. She lied about not knowing how her parents had died- she had killed them herself. Her journey through this all- it wasn't pleasant. Maybe it was best she kept my body. She had told me she would love father for me…

Father! It was as though his face bought me back to reality. My dear father who loved me so much. I couldn't let this happen. I would get out, I would. I looked at the closed door and stared at it until my eyes burnt.

 _This door will open. It will. It will open for me._ And just like that, the door creaked open ever so slightly. I allowed myself a few moments of surprise and then continued. Crawling on my stomach was slowing me down immensely, but I had no option. I had crawled till the hallway when I saw me, _her,_ and dropped dead. She had fastened my hair in a hurried braid and was speeding down the hallway, towards the exit. But I won't let her. She needs to give my body back.

"Friend, how lovely to have met you one last time." She smiled at me and I felt anger bubble in me.

"Gih…Uh…Bahh…" I replied angrily, trying to unsuccessfully voice my thoughts.

"But this body hurts much less." She frowned as though I had asked the stupidest question, and for the first time I had a sudden urge to smack someone. I neared her, trying to grab hold of her and get her down- to forcefully take back my body. For a few moments she stared and then suddenly took a nearby lamp and poured the hot oil at my face. My eyes, actually.

The burning sensation and the pain were unbearable. I screamed and rubbed my eyes, trying to lessen the pain. But nothing worked. I felt blood on my hands, but everything else was dark. I couldn't see, I couldn't see. Except... I could see faint outlines of shining red, indicating and highlighting the table, the mirror and well… Ellen. Everything was black except these red outlines. And they somehow helped me move without knocking everything down.

My eyes still pained, but I saw Ellen running away. I chased her, the pain and the crawling slowing me down. I screamed for her to stop but she exited the door. No, no, no. I need to do something, I need to…

As soon as Ellen stepped out of the door, I felt a force of power and rush in me and that's when I realized, _I was the witch now._ I was the one with the powers. And I could stop her.

Using the most of my powers, I sealed the front arc with roses, my one true strength. I hid Ellen's machete in the middle of the bushes to conceal it from her view, for she would certainly turn dangerous with it. And then I knocked her out temporarily, for then she wouldn't be able to escape and would have no option but to come back to the house. She wouldn't escape. I wouldn't let her…

 _We have played enough,_

 _But that doesn't mean_

 _We can't play one last time,_

 _Right… Viola?_

 _Because I am Ellen now._

 _For a while._

 _Just for a while._

 **Epilogue**

I woke up in the middle of my forest, the one I had for so long not ventured in. Killed so many within the invisible walls of this forest. I had so many deaths on my hand… No wait. I didn't. I am Viola now. Ellen has many deaths on her hands.

I looked around and found myself on a patch of soft grass. There was no one around and the sun shone brightly. I got up and remembered what I had to do. To get out, of this wretched and haunting place. I neared the exit as I saw it blocked by a huge patch of roses, their thorns pointing out dangerously as if trained to kill. Which they were. Something rustled in my pinafore and I looked at the pocket to find a note. It was for Viola, obviously by her father.

" _I am sorry I shouted at you. I had heard that there is a witch that lives in the forest and kidnaps children who go there. Your friend Ellen lives near the forest, doesn't she?"_

I laughed as I crumpled the note and put it back in my pocket _. So she was warned! Stupid humans_ I thought as I smiled and shook my head.

I walked around and found a machete shining in the bushes. Someone had done a measly job of hiding the machete. I found myself walking towards the house, my last resort. I walked towards the house, cutting another rose patch with my machete that made no dent on the previous one.

"Up and at em' eh?"

I looked around as I recognized the familiar boyish voice.

The cat sat on the top of a cut back of tree, its tails curling up in the air, its eyes shining.

"Did Viola do this?" I asked, looking around.

"Seems so. Impressed?" He asked.

I shrugged my shoulders despite the fact that I was impressed. I had weakened her beyond recognition and yet she was able to trap me in my own house.

I looked behind me, trying to find a way out.

"Might as well go in if ya can't do nothing else." The cat shrugged as the door creaked open.

I narrowed my eyes. If Viola thought that she could force upon me in my own house, then she was wrong. I would get out, and I would get out with _her_ body.

I went inside, smiling as I heard a whisper.

 _Welcome back._

I laughed.

 _We can play a little more, can we not?_

 _After all,_

 _It's my house, isn't it?_

 _It won't be killing me anytime soon._

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 **I hope you enjoyed! Review and favorite perhaps?**


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